Apparatus for agglomerating commercial carbon black



s. c. CARNEY 2,332,057 APPARATUS FOR AGGLOMERATING COMMERCIAL CARBON BLACK .Oct. 19, 1943.

4 Sheet-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 28, 1939 INVENTOR S C. CAR/VEY Oct. 19, 1943.. s. c. CARNEY 2,332,057

APPARATUS FOR AGGLOMERATING COMMERCIAL CARBON BLACK Original Filed Feb. 28, 19:59 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR S. C. CARNEY ATTORNEY Oct. 19, 1943. s. c. CARNEY 2,332,057 ARBON BLACK APPARATUS FOR AGGLOMERATING bOMMERCIAL 0 Original Fil ed Feb. 28, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR S. C. CARNE Y I WATTOM s, c. CARNEY 2,332,057

APPARATUS FOR AGGLOMERATING COMMERCIAL CARBON BLACK Original Filed Feb. 28, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR S. C. C/IR/VEY Patented Oct. 19, 1943 UNITED STATE APPARATUS FOR AGGLOMERATING COM- MERCIAL CARBON BLACK Samuel C. Carney, Bartlesville, kla., assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company,

Delaware a corporation of Original application February 28, 1939, Serial No. 259,065. Divided and this application June 12, 1942, Serial No. 446,761

Claims.

in my issued Patent No. 2,311,154, bf which thisapplication is a division.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for the granulating or'pelleting of flocculent carbon black, the process of which is disclosed in the above said issued patent.

The known art includes ,both "wet and dry processes. In the wet processes, the black is wetted' by one or more liquids, which in commercial pracseed mill 2 are identical tice, is really confined to the use of water. Water so used is for the purpose of promoting the a glomeration and it is always removed later by.

known drying processes. I

It is an advantage of this and other "dry" processes over the wet ones that the two separate operations of adding and removing the water are eliminated, together with the change in characteristics of the black due to wetting and subsequent drying at a temperature somewhat elevated. Also, the wet black is quite corrosive to very slightly, if at all, corrosive to ordinary steel which is used in the dry processes.

The advantage of the herein disclosed dry process apparatus over the apparatus commercially used, such as that disclosed in U. S. Patents Nos. 2,120,540, 2,120,541, 2,102,054, 2,127,137, and Reissue No. 19,750, lies in less expensive equipment, less power requirements, more positive and certain control of operation anda finished product substantially free of dust and of relatively high density. The apparatus is well adapted to continuous operation.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the entire carbon black agglomerating plant set-up,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view through the center of the granulator taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is across sectional view of the granulator taken on the line A-A of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the granulator taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is an isometric view of the granulator.

. the sprocket chain equipment metals, even to stainless steel, which is used in the wet processes, and the dry black is In the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration, is shown an embodiment of the apparatus for carrying forward the process of my invention, l represents the granulator and 2 is the seed mill, both being rotating devices mounted on trunnions of known types and being independently driven by separate motors through reduction gears also of known type. Their speed of rotation may be adjusted by the operator (though this is no part of the invention) and will lie in the range between 4 and 25 R. P. M. Since the rotating mechanism for the granulator l and except for size, only the mechanism for the granulator I will be discussed. A supporting member 3 carries a shaft ton one end thereof and a shaft 5 on the other end. Mounted on the shafts 4 and 5 to rotate therewith are a series of rollers 6 and 1. .The granulator I, rests on the rollers 6 and I, and by frictional contact between the rollers and granulator, the granulator is made to rotate when the rollers are actuated by the shaft. A motor 8 and variable speed reducer 9 are mounted on an extension of the support 3 and are connected together.- A gear ID on the variable speed reducer 9 connects with a gear ll keyed to the shaft 5 by means of 12 and in this manner rotates the shaft 5 which in turn rotates the rollers 1.

4 Raw feed, being the carbon black plant product after the conventional treatment for removal of grit, and without any treatment for increase of its density, enters granulator I through closed conveyor l3 and a, valve 14 in the conveyor 13 controls flow therethrough. The feed end of the granulator I is elevated to cause flow of material through it and the agglomerates made within it leave the other end of the mill by the gravity chute l5 which chute delivers the agglomerates to the hopper Hi from whence theygo to the bucket elevator I1. Elevator ll lifts the mixture of aggregates to the topof the elevator 11 where they pass by closed conduit 18 to sifter IS. The sitter l9 separates the material into three fractions: (1) Those larger than the size selected as maximum product size; (2-) The finished product; and, (3) Those smaller than the size selected as minimum product size.

Of these, the finished product moves by conveyor pipe 20 to storage. The oversize product leaves the to of the sifter b'y conveyor pipe 21, the undersize leaves the bottom of the sifter by conduit 22 and both the oversize and undersize flow join in I conveyor 23 where they go together through conveyor pipe 23 to the feed entrance of seed mill 2. As manually controlled by duplex the operator, slide valve 24 may, especiallyon starting, admit to pipe 23 from pipe I! through conveyor II a further supply of the aggl merated carbon black, but before the material has passed through the sifter l9 and if this be used, the

material so by-passed also enters the seed mill through the conveyor 23. I

In seed mill 2 all material fed to it is sub- Ject'ed to a controlled combination of attrition and agglomeration as will be described under operationand the material after this treatment leaves by chute 26 flowing into hopper 21 where it goes into the base of elevator 21'. From the top of elevator 21', the material flows through conveyor 2| to a sifter 2! where it is separated into two-fractions. That part which is coarser than the size selected as the maximum seed size flows through conveyor 30 back to conveyor!!- mercial devices andare no part of the inven-' tion.

Having by reference to Figure. 1 described the flow sheet, reference is now had to Figures 2-5 for description of the details of the granulator I and the seed mill 2 which except for dimensions, 4

are identical, the seed mill having from Ato PA the cubic capacity for material in process of the granulator. In Figure 5 'feed line I8 and product line It are the lines it and II of Figure 1 or they may equally represent lines 23 and 28 of the seed mill while thecylindrical body of Figure '5 may equally represent both mills I and 2, of FigureL, H g

The cylindrical body of mills l and I comprises two cylinders 33 and 34 and in this use of the .mill i, the external cylinder is about 8 feet in diameter and the internal one about 7 feet in diameter and the description chiefly relates to the annulus 35 between the inner and outer cylinders and to the means of delivering material into this annulus and removing it therefrom.

Material entering by line It falls to the inner surface it of theinner cylinder. This cylinder by its slope towards the-discharge end and by its rotation acts as a conveyor whichdistributes such material throughout its length until it.

reaches the longitudinal. partition 31 as shown also in Figure 2. This partition 31 marks the end of the inner cylinder and of course of the annulus. Within the inner cylinder 34 are arranged helica1ly,-dippers 38 which communicate with and cover openings cut in the inner cylinder. These dippers 38 are also shown in cross section in Figure 2 and are so arranged .with reference to the direction of rotation that they dip up the material fed to the machine and deliver it into the annulus. k

In the outer cylinder are arranged, also in a helical mannerfups 30 which completely cover assaosr ber of cups it should be such as to turn over the material in process by moving it from bottom to top-position in the annulus in from to- 40 revolutions;

Partition 31, marking the length of the inner cylinder, is so located that the outer cylinder is from 5 to longer than the inner one. This provides the non-feeding zone shown at 40 in Figure 2, and in Figure 3 which is the section A-A of Figure 2 which is bounded only by the 4 outer cylinder and its head and by partition 31.

This non-feeding section is also provided with cups 39 which continuously move material from the bottom to top position. That annular part of partition 31 which covers the discharge end of the. annulus between the inner and outer cylinders 34 and i3 is provided with numerous large slotted ppenings 4|, any one of which is large enough to permit the flow through it of the granules produced in the annulus. Granules flow through such openings 4! as are uncovered into the nonfeed zone 40. This non-feed zone 40 of 5 to 15% of the total length, has in principle such a length calculated on the granules maintained within it that granules there rotated will remain long enough for all amorphous material to be absorbed upon them and not so long as to roughen their surface by attrition. This is from about revolutionsto about 150.

The length of residence in the non-feed zone ,is adjusted by means of the dipping spouts 42 which are shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5; These are open topped spouts with a closed radial end and open central end. They are made in telescoping sections and are adjusted as to length from outsidethe machine when it is not rotating. They dip into the material in the non-feed zone and as the machine rotates they deliver the granular material into discharge spout I I located at their common center. Shortening their length will clearly raise the level of material held in the zone and vice versa.

The angle of repose of the granular material is substantially 35 degrees. Material in the nonfeed zone will therefore cover such openings 4| as are at the bottom of the rotating cylinder and, depending on the level of material held there, will cover several openings H on the ascending half of the annulus; By properly relating the level of material in this non-feed zone with the angle of slope given, the entire machine, time of residence in the non-feed zone and the upper level of granular material held in the deopenings of similar size cut in the wall of that cylinder. These cups 3! are also shown in crosssection in Figure 2hnd in Figure 5.- The existence of dippers 38 and cups I! is a part of the invention, but their exact size and arrangement are matters 5: engineering. The dippers I! should be of'such size and number and so arlivery end of the annulus are controlled by covering or uncovering more openings 4i.

To preventiexcessive adherence to the surface .38 of the inner cylinder, which will happen with some kinds of carbon black, an internal scrapin mechanism is provided. From the stationary internal shaft 43 there is suspended the bar 44 by hangers 45 which are attached to-shaft 43 and bar 44: To bar 44 are attached a large number of suitable rubber members 48 designed to have a scratchingaction on the entire inner surface a as it passes beneath them: Thewight of the bar 44 with that of members ll'and 48, holds the entire assembly stationary suspended from bearings '41. and 48. In many cases this entire scraping device'may be omitted from the seed mill" I and in some cases, especially when a rubber liningor other material to'which carbon does not adhere is used in construction, it may be omitted in both cases without aflecting the invention. I g v s Operation of the apparatus as herein disclosed must start with the vitally necessary charge of high density agglomerated material, for the apparatus as thus far mechanically described, is entirely inoperative for the purpose. Where the processes of the prior, art had ingeniously'contrived mechanical devices for stirring and governing the motion of the material, in this process, the effective mechanism is the granules of carbon which it itself produces. The cylindrical annulus is but a moving container in which carbon black demonstrates its natural inherent property of agglomeration, its motionbeing governed by the laws of mathematics.

In actual practice, my equipment is charged up to the operating level of each mill with any kind of commercial agglomerated black now on the market, even with the much larger pellets made by a mechanical wet process, the millsare started to rotate and raw feed is introduced. With the riddles in the sitters being of the mesh for the product and seed desired, after a few hour's operation the original charge is replaced with one pertaining to this process. This active charge which is the mechanism of the process, remains in the respective machines, being continuously renewed and replaced by other'similar material so that it never wears out during the entire length of operation of the process, though that be years.

The giving of length to the annulus and limiting its thickness to a reasonable value, possibly' 6 inches to 2 feet, is for the purpose of securing uniform distribution of feed over the active surface.

Material in the annulus, of size anywhere in the product range (and the great majority of the material there is in that range) is, for the time being, acting as the mechanism of the process. Instead of having metallic stirring devices which will break, wear out, and cake up with carbon, the product itself is used which, being constantly renewed, cannot wear out, and has no up-keep, and to which it is the purpose that carbon shall cling. this material is to reproduce itself and it does not get out into the world until it has done so.

The moving mass in the annulus of the present apparatus occupies at least 90 of its circumference. Especially at the inlet end, it may occupy nearly 180 50 that some material is carried over the top of the annulus.

Throughout the specification and claims, where the word granule is employed, it is to be taken to mean' a consolidated body of carbon black with density of 20 pounds or greater per cubicfoot,

ess or the apparatus for carrying forward the process or the scope of the subjoined claims. I claim:

In effect, the first duty of her, depression cups attached to the outer surface member, an outlet in one end wall of said annular passage and an inlet in the opposite 'end wall of said inner cylindrical member, and means for rotating the concentric cylindrical members.

2. An apparatus for agglomerating fiocculent dry carbon black into carbon black granules which comprises a pair of concentric cylindrical members spaced from each other to form an annular passage therebetween and having common end walls, spacedinlets to the annular passage along the length of the inner cylindrical member, said inlets comprising openings in said cylindrical member and covered with open end dippers, saiddippers being attached to the inside side wall of said inner cylindrical member, depression cups attached to the outersurface of the outer concentric cylindrical member and fully covering openings therein, said openings spaced along the length of said outer cylindrical memher, an outlet in one end wall of said annular passage and an inlet in the opposite end wall of said inner cylindrical member, and means for rotating the concentric cylindrical -members.

3. An apparatus for agglomerating flocculent dry carbon black into carbon black granules which comprises a pair of concentric'cylindrical members spaced from each other to form an annular passage therebetween and having common end walls, spaced inlets to the annular passage arranged helically along the entire length of the inner cylindrical member, said inlets comprising openings in said cylindrical member and covered with open end dippers, said dippers being attached to the inside side wall of said inner cylindrical drical member and 1. An apparatus for agglomeratin'g fiocculent dry carbon black into carbon black granules which comprises a pair of concentric cylindrical members spaced from each other to form an annular passage therebetween and .having common end walls, spaced inlets to theannular passage along the length of the inner cylindrical memlength of said outer members; depression cups attached to the outer surface of the outer concentric cylindrical member and fully covering the openings therein, said openings spaced helically aong the length of said outer cylindrical member; an inlet in one end wall of said inner cylindrical member and an outlet in the opposite end wall of said annular passage; and means for rotating the concentric cylindrical members.

4. An apparatus for ag'glomerating 'flocculent dry carbon black into carbon black granules which comprises a pair of concentric cylindrical members spaced from each other to form an annular passage therebetween and having com mon end walls, spaced inlets to the annular passage arranged helically along the entire length of the inner cylindrical member, said inlets comprising openings in said cylindrical member and covered with openend dippers, said dippers being attached to the inside side wall of said inner cylindrical member; depression cups attached to the outer surface of the outer concentric cylinfully covering the openings therein, said openings spaced helically along the cy 'ndrical member; an inlet in one end wall of said inner cylindrical member and an outlet in the opposite end wall of said annular passage; an apparatus outlet comprising a. cylindrical member,- the cylindrical side wall of which is essentially continuous with the outer concentric cylindrical member and having an end wall, and means within the cylindrical outlet member to scoop up the carbon black granules for discharge from the apparatus; and means for rotating the apparatus.

5. An apparatus for agglomerating flocculent dry carbon black into carbon black granules which comprises a pair of concentric cylindrical members spaced from each other to form an annular passage therebetween and having common end walls, granules of carbon black filling a portion of the space in the annulus. spaced inlets to the annular passage arranged helically along the entire length of the inner cylindrical member, said inlets comprising openings in said cylindrical member and covered with open end dippers, said dippers being attached to the inside sidewall of said inner cylindrical member; depression cups attached to the outer surface of the outer concentric cylindrical member and fully 15 covering the opanlngs therein, said openings spaced helically g the length or said outer cylindrical member; an inlet in one end wall of said inner cylindrical member and an outlet in the opposite end wall of said annular passage; an apparatus outlet comprising a cylindrical member, the cylindrical side wall or which is essenitally continuous with the outer concentric cylindrical member and having an end wall, and means' within the cylindrical outletmember to scoop up the carbon black granules for discharge from the apparatus; and means for rotating the apparatus.

SAMUEL C. CARNEY. 

